The Trouble with Mistletoe
by Lady aracne
Summary: Written for the Secret Santa Exchange at NFA. Abby and Mistletoe, what else is there to say LOL McAbbyish of course. One Shot.


Rating: FR7  
Pairings: McAbby, a little Tiva  
Characters: Abby, Ziva, Palmer, Ducky, Gibbs, Tony, McGee

***

Christmas was fast approaching and the NCIS building was not immune to it in anyway. Stunningly beautiful artificial trees had been put up in every floor, each one of them decorated with glass ornaments in silver and gold; small natural poinsettias had been placed in every desk available around the squad room and in the Director's office, garlands decorate each and every staircase inside the building.

Abby Sciuto, forensics mastermind and Goth genius, always took pride on her decorations. Each year she devoted a huge amount of time and effort in making her "home" perfectly Chrismassy, and this time it was no different.

The Christmas tree in her office was a little different than the rest of them. It was the same velveteen green as the others, but her ornaments were red and black, courtesy of the Human Resources department. She had also placed garlands all around her lab, these were hanging from the ceiling making perfect inverted arches. This job had taken several days to accomplish because she wanted them to be exactly the same size.  
She would have loved to decorate each one of her beloved machines but Director Vance had said no and there was nothing she could do about that. He hadn't, however, said anything against one of her favorite pieces of décor, the huge mistletoe ball strategically placed over the lab's entrance door. It made her grin in anticipation.

Abby stood proudly before her finished work. It was not as flashy as she would like it to be, but she couldn't disobey Director Vance orders. She had managed, however, to make a cute Santa hat and a jingle collar for Bert, and finally attached little glittering skulls around her evidence table.

"It will have to do," she thought, smiling as she settled to wait for her first victims.

Abby didn't have to wait for long. Soon after she finished hanging the last glittering skull she heard someone approaching.

"Hey Abby I …." Ziva started to say when Abby's voice made her stop in the tracks.

"Don't take another step, Ziva!"

"Why? What? Is something wrong?" she asked looking everywhere inside the lab, she expected to see a bomb or something like that, but she saw nothing.

"You can't come in here until you fulfill the tradition."

"Tradition? What are you talking about Abby?" Ziva asked totally confused. "Gibbs needs those evidence results."

"Stay where you are Ziva and look above you," Abby said, pointing right to the mistletoe hanging on the door frame.

"A plant?" asked Ziva intrigued

"Not any plant Ziva, Mistletoe!"

"So?"

Both women were looking up and didn't realize that Jimmy Palmer had just appeared behind the Israeli beauty, his hands full with test tubes.

"Hey, what are you looking at?" he asked happily.

Abby's face broke in to a huge smile.

"A man!" she screamed with delight, taking the tubes out of Jimmy's hands and pushing him next to Ziva, who was still standing at the door.

"Okay Ziva, this is what you have to do, you have to kiss Jimmy!"

"What?" both asked at the same time, Ziva puzzled while Jimmy sounded terrified.

"Is that all, and then I can get those results that Gibbs wanted about ten minutes ago?" Ziva asked, looking at a very pale Jimmy Palmer who was inching back towards the corridor.

"Sure Ziva," Abby answered jumping up and down excitedly, showing ZIva a bunch of papers in her hand.

Ziva turned around and grabbed Jimmy by the collar of his scrubs pulling him inside the lab once again; she quickly kissed him on the lips, the young ME assistant went from white to crimson in one second and without uttering a single word ran out of the forensics lab.

"I wonder, what is the matter with him?" Abby said giving Ziva her results.

"No idea." Ziva answered as she turned around just to collide with a very angry Gibbs.

"David, where are my results?" he barked.

"Right here Gibbs." Ziva said giving the papers to her boss and looking mortified.

"Well, what are you waiting for DiNozzo is waiting for you, go and pick up our suspect."

Ziva nodded and exited the lab.

"Very well Abbs, what are you up to?" Gibbs asked eyeing the innocent looking Goth.

"Just a little bit of Holiday cheer Gibbs, nothing more."

In that moment Ducky appeared at the door.

"Abigail, what did you do to Mr. Palmer?" He asked stopping right behind Gibbs.

"I didn't do anything to him Duckman. Actually it was Ziva," Abby answered innocently.

"Abs…"

"Alright, I made Ziva kiss him, but that was it. I like mistletoe it's a very nice tradition." Abby pouted sitting on one of her stools.

"Actually my girl, originally this tradition involved only men, it all started with the Druids. Whenever enemies met under the mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their arms and observe a truce until the next day. Later on it became customary to exchange kisses under the mistletoe as a sign of friendship and goodwill, it also means peace and joy, later on it evolved to be a symbol of love. A maiden standing under the mistletoe could not refused being kissed, and when she did it become a promise of marriage," Ducky said knowingly.

"That's awesome Ducky," Abby said jumping from her stool and lacing her arms around the good ME's neck giving him a peck on the cheek.

"There, traditions are important" Abby said releasing him and turning to kiss Gibbs on the cheek too, making him smile.

"Alright Abbs, you can leave your mistletoe but don't let it stop work around here, alright? We have several open cases, as you know."

"Will do; Oh magnanimous one!" She answered happily as she trapped Gibbs in one of her famous Abby-hugs.

Gibbs stepped out of the lab, leaving Abby twirling around and humming Jingle Bells at the same time.

A little while later Tony DiNozzo made his appearance in her kingdom.

"Hey Abbs!" he said flashing his signature smile to the beautiful Goth.

"Tony! Where have you been, you have not seen my decorations or my tree or my mistletoe, or Bert in his Christmas finest!"

"I was on the field and if gossip serves you have been up to some Christmassy fun, am I right?" Tony said.

"Just a little. Here, your kiss." Abby gave Tony a peck on the cheek "I think I cause Palmer to have a heart attack though, but it sure was fun."

"Nah! He will be fine. I may ask Ziva to give me a personal demonstration."

"I knew it, I knew it!" Abby sang, dancing around Tony "You like Ziva, don't deny it."

"Me? Well … I mean…" Tony muttered turning a deep shade of red.

"Oh you have to kiss under the mistletoe, according to Ducky it can be a promise of marriage"

"Marriage? Abby, that's going too far" Tony said very quickly "I don't even know if she would like to go out with me and you are talking about marriage."

"Of course she will; you two have been dancing around in circles for ages, it's time you get into some action Tony." Abby's eyes flashed with determination and Tony realized she was on a mission now.

"Hold on Abbs, let me do this on my own, after all, the old DiNozzo charm can work wonders, don't you think?"

"Well, yes of course. All right Tony, I won't say anything." Abby sat down on her stool again, a little disappointed as Tony returned to the squad room. This day was not turning out to be as much fun as she had planned, but anyway it was not over yet.  
She sat down on her office chair and looked at Bert on her desk; he looked really festive with his hat and his collar.

"You know Bert, I wonder where Timmy is, he hasn't been down here all day."

"Oh that is because I was not in the building." Timothy McGee said coming into the lab smiling adoringly at her.

"McGee!" she almost screamed standing up and trapping him in a big hug. "Where were you?"

"I was at cybercrimes, the director needed me to help the guys over there with some files, but I am back." He answered hugging her back. "You finished decorating, it looks great."

"Thank you, I knew you will notice."

"Mistletoe, you have been at it again?" He asked looking amused.

"You know me, but as it turns out it has not been very successful."

"Why do you say that? It's always good fun, besides I am sure everybody would love to get a kiss from you." He added letting her go.

"Well, let's say I got told of by Gibbs, Jimmy Palmer almost fainted, Tony got cold feet, I think this time it has been more trouble than anything." Abby sat back down again looking sad.

"Come on Miss Sciuto." Tim said taking her by the hand and pulling her to stand under the mistletoe. "Now, where is my kiss?" he asked lacing his arms around her tiny waist, Abby smiled and lean into him kissing him softly.

"You do now, that this can be interpreted as a promise to marry Tim?"

"That's fine with me; you just say the word Abbs." Tim answered, love shinning in his eyes.

"Are you serious McGee?" Abby asked looking at him in awe.

"Absolutely Abby, I have been trying to think of the perfect moment, and I think this is it." Tim let go of her and got down on one knee, Abby's eyes opened as wide as it was humanly possible, he then took both her hands in his and said.

"Miss Abigail Sciuto, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, yes Timmy, yes!" Abby kneeled as well and trapped him in a fierce hug, kissing him madly.

Some moments later, they both stood, they were still standing under the Christmas decoration.

"Do you know which one is the trouble with mistletoe Abbs?"

"No, I don't. Which one is it McGee?" Abby asked leaning happily on his shoulder.

"That we can't have it all year long." Tim answered kissing her again.

THE END


End file.
